View All Statements on Emerging Infections

In connection with a February 2015 Congressional hearing, "Examining the US Public Health Response to Seasonal Influenza," IDSA submitted written testimony highlighting the importance of building a strong public health infrastructure to protect the public from severe illness and death caused by seasonal influenza. The letter urges a greater investment in public health preparedness as well as research and development programs for influenza vaccines and antivirals.

In a letter to newly-appointed U.S. Ebola Response Coordinator Ron Klain, IDSA President Dr. Stephen Calderwood outlined the Society's Ebola response efforts to date and volunteered IDSA's expertise and resources to help the federal government coordinate the U.S. and global response.

IDSA's Pandemic and Seasonal Influenza Principles for United States Action are to educate and federal policymakers and assist the US Department of Health and Human Services' Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and other agency officials, about how best to prepare for and respond to seasonal and pandemic influenza.

Dr. Andy Pavia testified on behalf of IDSA at a September 29, 2010 hearing of the Senate Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Subcommittee examining the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise review completed by the Department of Health and Human Services in August 2010.

At a meeting of FDA advisory committee regarding development of an influenza antiviral home MedKit, IDSA provided a public statement about the challenges to safe and effective use posed by the unknowns regarding use of current antivirals in a pandemic, combined with the absence of medical supervision in the proposed scenario of home based use.

At a meeting of the National Biodefense Science Board, IDSA delivered public comments raising concerns about an HHS initiative to inform the public about home stockpiling of doxycycline for use in a potential anthrax attack.

In a joint statement to the United States Department of Health and Human Services on January 13, 2006, IDSA recommended solutions to strengthen and improve the U.S. Preparedness and Response Plan against pandemic influenza.

IDSA urges initiative to stimulate innovation in medical technologies, specifically new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics to treat, prevent, and detect infectious diseases agents, and for antibiotics to treat resistant bacterial infections as well as new rapid diagnostics to detect them.

Statement of John G. Bartlett, MD, President, Infectious Diseases Society of America before the Subcommittee on Public Health Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions United States Senate on bioterrorism: our front line response in evaluating U.S. public health and medical readiness.